Graft Preservation

Recently, solid organ transplant outcomes have benefited from improvements in graft preservation strategies. The use of ex vivo machine perfusion for organ has increased the donor pool and extended criteria for donor organs that would have previously been excluded from transplantation. Utilization of machine perfusion has protected donor organs from the injuries traditionally encountered by static cold storage, minimized rates of primary graft dysfunction, and even allowed for recovery of the function of marginal organs. Machine perfusion has also extended preservation periods well beyond what is considered acceptable after static cold storage for kidney, liver, lung, and hearts. The extended preservation time plus the growing use of ex vivo machine perfusion during organ procurement has introduced the potential for administering therapeutics during this period to improve organ quality and mitigate post-transplantation complications. The types of therapeutics that can be administered range from traditional pharmaceuticals to advanced therapeutics, such as gene and cell therapy.

The primary objective of this research topic is to collect, opinions, original research articles (clinical, translational, basic), case reports, and reviews (both brief and expansive) that address gaps in knowledge in field of graft preservation as well as applications of ex vivo perfusion.

We will accept opinions, original research (clinical, translational, basic), innovative research, case reports, and reviews (both brief and expansive).
Subtopics include but are not limited to:
- Regional practices using ex vivo perfusion and/or in situ perfusion;
- Use of ex vivo perfusion in regenerative medicine;
- Perfusion devices, protocols, and preservation solutions;
- Expanding donor pool through use of marginal donors;
- Reimbursement strategies for their clinical use;
- Role of ex vivo perfusion in xenotransplantation.